Preliminary Experience With Low Molecular Weight Heparin Strategy in COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Heparin administration in COVID-19 patients is recommended by expert consensus, although evidence about dosage, duration and efficacy are limited. We aim to investigate the association between different dosages of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and mortality among COVID-19 hospitalized patients.

Methods And Results: Retrospective study of 450 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to Sant'Orsola Bologna Hospital from March 01 to April 10, 2020.

An unusual case of Thoraflex displacement after blunt thoracic trauma during skiing.

We present a case of a patient, who had previously undergone a frozen elephant trunk procedure for acute non-A-non-B aortic dissection, and developed a traumatic new entry tear due to the displacement of the hybrid prosthesis while skiing. An emergency thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed without postoperative complications.

Negative 11C-choline PET/computed tomography imaging in restaging of patients with prostate cancer with serum prostate-specific antigen values >20 ng/mL.

Objective: Several studies have reported about the performance of C-choline-PET/computed tomography (CT) (choline) in patients with biochemical recurrent (BCR) prostate cancer, but there is a lack of information regarding negative choline in the same clinical setting. Our aim was to retrospectively analyse negative choline in a cohort of BCR-patients with high prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analysed all choline-scans performed at two high-volume imaging centres between 2005 and 2018, selecting those of interest according to the following inclusion criteria: (1) proven prostate cancer treated either with radical prostatectomy or primary external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), (2) BCR after radical prostatectomy or EBRT, (3) PSA serum values >20 ng/mL at the time of scan and (4) scan reported as negative for active disease.

Minimally Invasive Approaches in Pediatric Urolithiasis. The Experience of Two Italian Centers of Pediatric Surgery.

Over the last 30 years, the incidence of pediatric urolithiasis (PU) has been increasing and the surgical management has evolved toward a minimally invasive approach (MIA). We reported the experience of two Centers of Pediatric Surgery in the management of PU, focusing on MIA as first choice in treatment. Data were retrospectively analyzed from October 2009 to October 2019 in children with urolithiasis who were admitted to two referral Italian Centers of Pediatric Surgery.

Mechanically Supported Early Graft Failure After Heart Transplantation.

Background: The occurrence of early graft failure (EGF) after heart transplantation (Htx) often requires a mechanical circulatory support (MCS) therapy. The aims of our study were to identify risk factors of mechanically supported severe EGF and evaluate their impact on both early and late outcomes.

Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2019, 499 consecutive adult patients underwent Htx at our institution.

An international cohort study of autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease due to REN mutations identifies distinct clinical subtypes.

There have been few clinical or scientific reports of autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease due to REN mutations (ADTKD-REN), limiting characterization. To further study this, we formed an international cohort characterizing 111 individuals from 30 families with both clinical and laboratory findings. Sixty-nine individuals had a REN mutation in the signal peptide region (signal group), 27 in the prosegment (prosegment group), and 15 in the mature renin peptide (mature group).

COVID-19 in patients with HIV-1 infection: a single-centre experience in northern Italy.

Background: Since the end of February 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak rapidly spread throughout Italy and other European countries, but limited information has been available about its characteristics in HIV-infected patients.

Methods: We have described a case series of patients with HIV infection and COVID-19 diagnosed at the S.Orsola Hospital (Bologna, Italy) during March and April, 2020.

AVR in patients with anomalous course of the circumflex artery without prosthetic downsizing.

An anomalous origin of the left circumflex coronary artery that arises as a side branch of the right coronary artery and encircles the aortic annulus is usually an incidental finding. However, in patients undergoing aortic valve/root procedures, its existence can significantly complicate the surgical treatment. We report our operative strategy with three different prostheses without valve downsizing.

Sars-CoV-2 in pregnancy: Why is it better than expected?

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus disease in December 2019, information specific to pregnancy remains limited and controversial. Based on data from previous reports, it has been noticed that contrary to prior pandemics such as SARS, MERS and H1N1 and although pregnancy is usually considered as a condition of high susceptibility to viral infections, new SARS-CoV2 infection seems to have a more benign clinical course when affecting pregnant women. We speculate that during pregnancy the physiological "silencing" of the Th1 pro-inflammatory response may blunt the cytokines storm which is thought to play a key-role in the pathogenesis of the severe complications of Covid-19.

Detoxification of bilirubin and bile acids with intermittent coupled plasmafiltration and adsorption in liver failure (HERCOLE study).

Background: CPFA is an extracorporeal treatment used in severe sepsis to remove circulating proinflammatory cytokines. Limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of bilirubin adsorption by the hydrophobic styrenic resin, the distinctive part of CPFA. The aim of this study is to validate CPFA effectiveness in liver detoxification.

Global Impact of COVID-19 on Nuclear Medicine Departments: An International Survey in April 2020.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed significant challenges on health-care systems worldwide, whether in the preparation, response, or recovery phase of the pandemic. This has been primarily managed by dramatically reducing in- and outpatient services for other diseases and implementing infection prevention and control measures. The impact of the pandemic on nuclear medicine departments and their services has not yet been established.

Immunohistochemical over-expression of HER2 does not always match with gene amplification in invasive bladder cancer.

Background: HER2 is a potential target of therapy in urothelial cancer (UC). Pathological case stratification according to HER2 gene amplification or HER2 protein overexpression was critical for patients' selection in previous unsuccessful clinical trial with HER2 targeting agents.

Study Design: We evaluated the HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) together with the amplification of the HER2 gene with chromogenic(CISH) and fluorescent (FISH) in situ hybridization in a cohort of 61 patients covering the whole spectrum of bladder UC variants, using a tissue microarray (TMA) approach.

PET imaging in urology: a rapidly growing successful collaboration.

Purpose Of Review: To discuss and highlight the recent findings in urological oncology focusing on nuclear medicine advances on imaging and therapy.

Recent Findings: Testicular tumors: F-FDG as the standard positron emission tomography (PET) tracer with proven good accuracy in detecting metastatic testicular cancer; urothelial cancer: good accuracy of F-FDG PET in detecting distant metastases but poor results in detecting local disease; prostate cancer: prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a promising target for imaging prostate cancer with unprecedented accuracy in both staging and restaging and prospective studies were recently published. In castration-resistant prostate cancer, PSMA-targeting radionuclide therapy is showing potential as a curative possibility (e.

Targeted re-sequencing for early diagnosis of genetic causes of childhood epilepsy: the Italian experience from the 'beyond epilepsy' project.

Background: Childhood epilepsies are a heterogeneous group of conditions differing in diagnostic criteria, management, and outcome. Late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) is a neurodegenerative condition caused by biallelic TPP1 variants. This disorder presents with subtle and relatively non-specific symptoms, mimicking those observed in more common paediatric epilepsies and followed by rapid psychomotor deterioration and drug-resistant epilepsy.

Postoperative and mid-term hemodynamic changes after replacement of the ascending aorta.

Objectives: To evaluate aortic distensibility and pulse waveform patterns associated with the ascending aortic aneurysm, and to analyze the postoperative and mid-term hemodynamic changes induced by prosthetic replacement of the ascending aorta.

Methods: Central blood pressure waves were recorded at the carotid artery level by means of a validated transcutaneous arterial tonometer in 30 patients undergoing prosthetic replacement of ascending aortic aneurysm and in 30 control patients. Measurements were obtained the day before surgery and 5 to 7 days and 16 to 20 months after surgery.

Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in COVID-19 Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Initial Experience.

SARS-CoV-2 may cause severe respiratory failure due to massive alveolar damage. Currently, no adequate curative therapy for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease exists. By considering overall impact of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, an increased need of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support becomes evident.

Transperineal Ultrasound Visual Feedback Assisted Pelvic Floor Muscle Physiotherapy in Women With Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis and Dyspareunia: A Pilot Study.

A prospective study with the aim to evaluate the effects of pelvic floor physiotherapy was conducted among women with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) and associated dyspareunia. At initial evaluation superficial and deep dyspareunia were assessed using a numerical rating scale, and levator hiatus area (LHA) was assessed with 3-D/4-D transperineal ultrasound. Women underwent five individual sessions of ultrasound visual feedback assisted pelvic floor physiotherapy.

When Is a Critically Ill Cirrhotic Patient Too Sick to Transplant? Development of Consensus Criteria by a Multidisciplinary Panel of 35 International Experts.

Background: Critically ill cirrhotic patients are increasingly transplanted, but there is no consensus about futile liver transplantation (LT). Therefore, the decision to delay or deny LT is often extensively debated. These debates arise from different opinions of futility among transplant team members.